UPDATE: A DirecTV rep tells Consumerist that Comcast is “grossly misrepresenting” the situation. [More]
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What Would You Want To See On A Cable Customers' Bill Of Rights?
By 8.18.11
Over at our former sibling site Gizmodo, they have cobbled together what they believe is a list of the basic rights any cable customer should have when it comes to service, billing and selection. We wanted to throw it out there to see if you agree. [More]
Report: Record Number Of Cable Customers Cutting The Cord
By 8.10.11
Hear that snipping sound? No, it’s not squirrels nipping at your FiOS cord. It’s a record number of Americans cutting ties with their cable and satellite providers. [More]
Comcast Sues DirecTV Over NFL Sunday Ticket Ads
By 8.4.11
Ever since DirecTV began running an ad campaign touting that NFL Sunday Ticket is now available at “no extra charge” (huge asterisk), we’ve been hearing complaints from football fans and DirecTV subscribers alike that these ads do their best to hide the fine print of the deal. Now it seems that Comcast has taken up the cause — and taken DirecTV to court. [More]
DirecTV Sends Coupons Designed To Look Like Netflix Envelopes
By 6.22.11
How scared are the satellite and cable providers of Netflix? So much so that DirecTV recently sent out a coupon to customers designed to look exactly like a Netflix mailer, except in blue. You know what they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery. [More]
Burger King Launches All-Whopper Channel On DirecTV
By 6.16.11
Looking for something to watch but don’t really like shows with scripts, actors or dramatic arcs? Then Burger King and DirecTV have come up with a channel for you, especially if you want a free Whopper. [More]
Take Preventive Measures To Avoid Zombie Billing
By 4.22.11
How can you prevent a zombie billing invasion after your satellite TV contract is up? Simple, explains reader catastrophegirl: give the company a credit card to put on file that expires before your contract is up. If they try to put the zombie charges on the card–well, they can’t. [More]
HBO Go Finally Available To DirecTV Subscribers
By 4.12.11
In the year since HBO launched its HBO Go streaming service as a bonus for Verizon FiOS subscribers, it’s also become available to Comcast, Cox and Time Warner Cable customers. And now, DirecTV subscribers will finally be able to watch HBO programming on-demand on their computers. [More]
DirecTV Drains Your Bank Account To Pay Your Sister's Bill
By 4.7.11
Don’t lend your debit card to friends or family to pay their DirecTV bill if you don’t want to be on the hook if they fail to pay their bill. As we learned during the debacle where the satellite provider drained the bank account of a dead customer’s friend, any debit or credit card that has ever been used for a given account stays on file…pretty much forever. Reader Laura learned this the hard way when the company drained her bank account to pay her sister’s bill. [More]
Movie Studios Set To Charge $30 To Watch Movies On-Demand While They're Still In Theaters
By 4.1.11
When we first brought up the idea of charging $30 for on-demand titles that are still lingering in theaters, less than 20% of you said you would be interested. But our little poll — and the protests of theater owners — hasn’t stopped everyone from moving forward with plans to launch the service in the coming weeks. [More]
If You're A NY Yankees Fan, We Hope You Don't Have DirecTV
By 3.31.11
In spite of the icicles hanging off the eaves, baseball season is upon is, which can mean only one thing: fights between broadcasters and cable companies that threaten to black out games! [More]
Worst Company In America Sweet 16: Bank Of America Vs. DirecTV
By 3.25.11
Round One is officially in the books, meaning it’s time for this blood-soaked train to keep charging forward with our first Round Two match-up! [More]
Meet Your Worst Company In America Sweet 16!
By 3.25.11
After eight days and 16 first round battles, the WCIA steel cage is littered with the bones of those companies not crappy enough to continue on in the tournament. But the thrill of victory is fleeting for the remaining combatants, all of whom must square off again if they hope of crowning themselves the Worst Company In America! [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: DirecTV Vs. Dish Network
By 3.15.11
Today’s second first-round match in the WCIA ring pits the country’s two biggest satellite TV providers in a duel of the dishes. [More]
Would You Pay $30 To Rent A Movie That's Still In Theaters?
By 3.4.11
For movie fans, there is that odd stretch of time between a film’s initial release and when it hits the DVD/On-Demand market. Maybe it’s playing in a second-run theater or maybe it’s just in limbo. Regardless, DirecTV is betting that customers would be willing to pay a premium to watch movies during that lame-duck time period. [More]
DirecTV Raises "Locked In" Rate
By 2.25.11
Brance writes in that he signed up with DirecTV who was advertising a rate that was “locked in” for 12 months. 3 months later, he noticed that his bill had gone up $10. When he called DirecTV to complain, the supervisor told him it didn’t matter, they still reserve the right to raise rates when they want. “In the world I grew up in, “locked in” means it will not change,” writes Brance. Well now we live in a world where every promise comes with an asterisk. [More]
DirecTV Explains How It Ended Up Billing Customer For Dead Friend's Account
By 2.15.11
Yesterday we brought you the story of how a woman in Florida saw her bank account drained by DirecTV in order to pay for service for a friend she said she’d referred to the satellite provider. Consumerist spoke to DirecTV to find out how this could possibly happen and were told the customer did a little more than just refer her pal to the company. [More]
DirecTV Drains Customer's Bank Account To Pay For Her Dead Friend's Satellite Service
By 2.14.11
UPDATE: DirecTV has given Consumerist its side of the story.
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For years, DirecTV has been advertising its “refer your friends and get $100” promotion. But for one DirecTV customer in Florida, that referral didn’t end up profiting her; in fact, it ended up draining her bank account after that friend passed away. [More]
